Preserving Summer

{ Note to Bloggers: due to an agonizing slow internet connection I am having difficulty uploading pages and photos… I will be sure to get to everyone’s blogs as soon as this is remediated!! Sorry for the delay!! }

We’re right in the heady days of summer.. when market tables overflow with ripened fruit begging to be bitten into with chin-juice dripping gusto. It was high time I taught myself how to “put up” gleaming jars of Raspberry and Cinnamon Peach Jam.

All I can say is… what took me so long?

Speaking of long.. if you’re a seasoned “Canner”, often “Putting Up” preserves.. thank you for “Putting Up” with my lengthy post today and feel free to skim to the end!

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If you’re a beginner like me, I highly recommend your visit Bernardin’s website where you’ll find a handy step-by-step guide to canning. This post is not meant to cover every detail in the canning process, so please stop by their site before undertaking preserving for your first time. I know it really helped me!

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You’ll require a large pot and a few tools that make the job a snap.With an eye for future huge jars of dill pickles, I purchased thelargest canning pot that I could find and a rackso that the jars don’t sit on the bottom of the pot. Then all I needed was a basic set of canning tools from our local hardware store (Canadian Tire). The kit supplied me with a funnel, a magnetic wand for lids, measuring/stir stick and a really “grippy” set ofjar tongs for plunging into the hot boiling water.

In sports as in the kitchen, I’m a firm believer that there’s less room for disaster when you have the right tools, and this is definitely one of those times when you’re dealing with glass jars and boiling water! I also recommend splurging the extra few dollars to buy a metal funnel, something about hot liquid on plastic makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I did double every jam recipe, I thought if I was going to so much trouble, I’d better have lots to show for it. But please note, I did so by making each recipe from start to end twice.Don’t attempt to double by cooking everything all at once, it can make it a challenge to get the jam to set, plus you’d need a really massive pot!

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1. Give your jars, lids and rings a quick soapy wash and make sure to rinse well to remove the soapy residue. Spread all out on a clean tea towel.

2. Place your metal rack into your canning pot and fill with water, a generous few inches above the top of your jars. Lower in the jars you will be using into the water and turn on high to bring to a boil. This heats and sterilizes your jars while you make the jam.

3. In another small pot, add a few inches of water, toss in your lids and set the water to just barely simmer. Try not to boil your lids.

4. Prepare your jam as instructed by the recipe. I always try to have all the ingredients prepped and laid out ahead of time so that I am merely “assembling” the jam and bringing it to a boil.

5. Once the jam has cooked and thickened, use the rubber tongs from your set to remove the glass jars, ensuring you pour the boiling water back into the canning pot as you go. Place on a metal cooling rack. Don’t worry about any small amount of water remaining in the bottom of the jars, that will evaporate from the heat of the glass.

6. Then scoop with a clean, heat-resistent ladle or measuring cup into the prepared jars, using your funnel to avoid spilling. Fill to the recommended “head-space” and give a little stir if there are any air pockets. Use a dry paper towel to clean the tops and sides of the jars, this ensures a good seal.

7. Use the magnetic wand to remove the lids and place on each jar. Lightly hand-screw the bands onto each jar, finger-tip tight, making sure not to over-tighten. This allows any remaining air to escape the jars, allowing the lids to seal under pressure.

8. Using the tongs, submerge each jar, upright, in the boiling water, submerged about 1-inch below the water’s surface. Cook for the recommended length of time in the recipe.*Processing times need to be adjusted for altitude. Check the chart below. Then using the tongs, remove each jar to a cooling rack or dry tea towel.Do not disturb jars or tighten bands.

8. As the jars cool, listen for the “pop” as each lid’s center clicks down. Do not tighten the bands, this prevents proper sealing.

9. Allow your jars to rest, undisturbed for 24 hours. Once the jars have completely cooled, remove the bands and check for a strong seal by pressing down on the lids, there should be no movement in the lid. Again, do not tighten the bands, this prevents proper sealing.During this time, the cooling of the contents will further create a vacuum and pull the lids tight to seal.

10. After 24 hours, wash, wipe clean and dry the outside and tops of the jars. Bands may be gently screwed back on if you wish.

11. Make sure to label the contents and add the date your jamwas made. This is important as most preserves do expire in one year. Store in a cool, dark shelf or cupboard.

12. Once a jar is opened, use then refrigerate. Discard any product that is discolored or smells “off”.

Combine the berries and sugar in a large pot and stir to mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. I never left the jam unattended.

As it gets hotter, the jam drips like water from your spatula and there will be a light foam on the surface .

As the jam thickens and approaches 220° F (ideal temperature when jam sets) the foam will begin to clear and look like this. Jam starts to stick to the bottom and drips in thick strands off the spatula.

The length of time this takes will vary, depending on the water content of your berries. It can take 15-20 minutes or much longer. It’s best to watch for the temperature using an instant read thermometer and easier to look for the thickness of the jam.

Once the jam is set, stir in the lemon and liquid pectin. Bring back to a boil and continue to boil for another 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove and ladle the jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 ” head-room at the top. Then wipe tops of jars clean and top with hot lids. Finger-tip tighten bands, submerge upright and cook in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.. longer depending upon your altitude.

Once cooked, remove to a wire rack to cool and follow the steps written above.

Combine the berries and sugar in a large pot and stir to mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. I never left the jam unattended.

The jam will begin to simmer and looks like this..

As it gets hotter, the jam drips like water from your spatula and there will be a light foam on the surface like this..

As the jam thickens and approaches 220° F (ideal temperature when jam sets) the foam will begin to clear and look like this. Jam starts to stick to the bottom and drips in thick strands off the spatula…

The length of time this takes will vary, depending on the water content of your berries. It can take 15-20 minutes or much longer. It’s best to watch for the temperature using an instant read thermometer and easier to look for the thickness of the jam.

Once the jam is set, stir in the lemon and liquid pectin. Bring back to a boil and continue to boil for another 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove and ladle the jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 ” head-room at the top. Then wipe tops of jars clean and top with hot lids. Finger-tip tighten bands, submerge upright and cook in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.. longer depending upon your altitude.

Once cooked, remove to a wire rack to cool and follow the steps written above.

Related

You have the patience of a saint. If you can give the blow by blow description of canning – then we need to read it! Very thorough, friendly and doable.
I love raspberry jam. Sometimes for me, I’ll deseed just a portion of it but still like to know I’m eating raspberries.
Love your photos.ReplyCancel

I love your jam jars Smidge. They are like a step-back in time to when all ‘house-wives’ made preserves. I would love to try your raspberry, cinnamon and peach jam – what a wonderful combination. And the colour of your jam is fabulous – so vibrant and rich. Long after summer has past, I know you’ll be remembering it with these preserves xxReplyCancel

My Mom used to make the best jams! I miss her immensely. It’s just JT and I so making my own makes it seem like I would never get through them. I adore home made pickles so I can hardly wait to see that recipe.ReplyCancel

What a useful post, Barb, one that I wish I had seen last year when I began canning. It’s a great “how to” with every step described and each concern addressed. Where was ya when I needed ya? 🙂
I’ve pinned this in my canning board so that anyone that comes along will see it and learn. On behalf of future canners everywhere, thank you! (There was a secret meeting and I was elected spokesperson.)ReplyCancel

supersuAugust 12, 2012 - 7:39 am

wow. very nice post – you make is sound so simple & straight-forward….thanks for this!
and your images of the raspberry jam are lucious!!!!ReplyCancel

Glistening red jars of jam–it is like preserving summer. Grew up canning much of what was produced from our garden for winter, it seems almost tedious at the time, but when the ground was cold with winter rest it was so welcome. 🙂ReplyCancel

This looks so delicious Smidge. I’m a huge fan of raspberry preserves and jams – especially the fresh variety. I’ve never gotten around to canning, it totally intimidates me. I think it’s one of those undertakings I’ll save for later down the line. In the meantime, I’ll have to find some to buy now that you’ve put the mental image and flavors in my mind. 🙂 Yum!ReplyCancel

Ah, I love raspberries. I made strawberry jam recently which was great, but raspberry was my big love. Only problem is they’re so darn expensive, but the colour and flavour they give to jam is unbeatable. Lovely jam Smidge!ReplyCancel

What gorgeous jam you have made here. We can’t get raspberries at a decent price for jam purposes, but they do make the best! I love the idea of the raspberry/peach combo, too because I adore peach melba. Isn’t canning easy once you do it? It seems so daunting, but really you just have to have the time. Of course, I didn’t get anything canned so far this year. 🙁ReplyCancel

Smidge, thank you do much for taking the time to write this post. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I bought all the necessary “tools” for canning earlier this year, and have since made every excuse in the book to not do it. Yep, it scared me. But your post is so thoughtfully written, that I think I really can do this. Thank you!!

Beautiful! That jam looks almost too pretty to eat. I’ve never canned, and I couldn’t really tell you why. My mother made jams, pickles and chili sauce when I was a kid so it’s not like I don’t have a role model. One of these days … Thank you for your detailed instructions and the tip about the Bernardin website. Good reference points for when I get my canning act together!ReplyCancel

Fabulous, really gorgeous and do not talk to me about slow connections, is it going round? I went off and made myself another coffee waiting for yours to download but i was desperate to see what you were up to! Have a lovely day.. I am having visitors fromyour mountain today!! cReplyCancel

I’ve just begun canning or jamming Barb! My mom has had a HUGE crop of heirloom tomatoes this summer and I have been making tomato jam like nobody’s business. Your raspberry jam looks sublime! Happy Summer! 🙂ReplyCancel

I grew up canning with my mom. Every year we would have a garden packed full of tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow wax beans, and blackberries and by the time the end of August rolled around the basement pantry would be stacked to the top with fresh spaghetti sauces, jams, dill pickles, yellow wax bean cinnamon “pickles” (these were my favorite!) and dozens of other concoctions. Spaghetti sauce was always the worst, and jams were always the easiest. Enjoy canning, and if you ever need a totally random recipe for a veggie, let me know, I’m sure my mom has several 🙂

Yes, I have a sweet tooth in general (and grew up with a mother who was a world-class canner, preserver, etc)–but despite my love of nearly all sorts of jam, I suspect that in my heart raspberry will always reign as the ‘best of all possible’ jams. Yours sounds so lovely that I’m salivating just thinking about it. 🙂ReplyCancel